IndyCar Series

America's first (and best) PS2 Indianpolis 500 simulation.

You are given two sources of information in the race: the engine noises and your spotter. Your spotter will do NASCAR style callouts ("Car inside. Still there. Still there. Clear inside"). The engines will also get louder and move from one rear speaker to the next. You can 'sense' what's going on around you even if you can't see it, and when it becomes an overlap situation, the engine sounds and the spotter make it glaringly obvious what's going on. The cars also draft you and pass back after you pass them. Do not think that just because you've gone by someone the contest is over. You will hear their engine get louder and pull alongside, and quickly bear witness as they slip right past you. You can block, you can boost your fuel mixture, or you can just play leapfrog with them around the circuit, just like the real sport.

The Verdict

Finally, as is always the case, there are gripes and nitpicks and glitches I could talk about. The lack of USB wheel support and mirrors are two. The field of view from in-car is rather narrow, and I've observed some bizarre pitting strategy by the AI (such as not pitting until two laps after the pits are open during caution - if you're going to pit, you pit at the first available opportunity under caution). The fact that your crew chief doesn't ever seem to change his suggested pit strategy based upon your actual stops is another nuisance, but one you can safely ignore.

Although the game itself doesn't break much new ground as a racing title, the fact is that what it DOES do, it does very well. Indy Racing is VERY well represented in this title. The strategies, tactics, and on-track behavior of the cars is eerily like the '500 I just got done watching yesterday (note to Codemasters: Kudos on the timing of the release, guys!).

Without hesitation, I recommend to anyone who owns any console NASCAR title or wants to get a little bit more than the endless parade of GT-style sprint race clones that seem to come out every few months, especially if you want to see oval racing done RIGHT. The gameplay is very believable with almost every real-life aspect of the sport reproduced for your pleasure. The challenge level is great, the dicing through traffic is adrenalin inducing (I had to force myself to release my death grip on the controller a few times), and the focus required to play is high. It just feels real, and what more can you truly ask of a game like this?